Breaking

Tender Rejections Surge to 14.32% Following Labor Day Rush

The national Outbound Tender Rejection Index climbed to 14.32% in the days after Labor Day, signaling a tightening freight market across virtually every major U.S. region. The spike marks an unusual pattern distinct from typical seasonal pressures tied to weather or regulatory checkpoints. Shippers returning to normal operations following the holiday released a concentrated volume of freight requests that carriers struggled to accommodate. The Weighted Rejection Index reflected deteriorating carrier acceptance across major hubs including Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, and Harrisburg. Refrigerated capacity faced strain as fall harvest activity intensified in produce corridors like Twin Falls, Idaho, and agricultural regions across Iowa and the Dakotas. Analysts attribute the tightening to persistent capacity constraints that have shown minimal growth over recent years, leaving the market vulnerable to demand spikes.